New Guinea impatiens plant named &#39;Fisupnic Pinkeye&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea  Impatiens  plant named ‘Fisupnic Pinkeye’, and particularly characterized by the combined features of light pink flowers with purple eyes; very large, round, mostly flat flowers; uniform, medium green foliage; vigorous growth, and tall, upright, bushy plant habit; and medium flowering response.

GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

[0001] New Guinea Impatiens hawkeri W Bull (hybrid)

VARIETY DENOMINATION

[0002] Fisupnic Pinkeye

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofNew Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri W.Bull, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘FisupnicPinkeye’.

[0004] ‘Fisupnic Pinkeye’ is a product of a planned breeding program andoriginated from a hybridization made by the inventor, Birgit C. Hofmann,in a controlled breeding program in Hillscheid, Germany, in the summerof 2000.

[0005] The female parent was the variety ‘Fisimp 102’ (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 13,700), which is characterized by uniform, orange-red flowers,medium green foliage, and fairly tall plant habit. The male parent wasthe variety ‘Fisnics Scarlet Blush’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,227), havingscarlet colored flowers with a purple eye, dark green foliage, andmedium sized, compact plant habit.

[0006] ‘Fisupnic Pinkeye’ was discovered and selected as one floweringplant within the progeny of the stated cross by the inventor in April2001 in a controlled environment in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain.

[0007] The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Fisupnic Pinkeye’ wasaccomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initialselection in July, 2001 in a greenhouse in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain,by, or under the supervision of the inventor.

[0008] Horticultural examination of plants grown from these cuttingsinitiated in spring, 2002 in Hillscheid, Germany, and continuingthereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for ‘Fisupnic Pinkeye’ are firmly fixed and areretained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The newcultivar reproduces true to type.

[0009] ‘Fisupnic Pinkeye’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength, without, however, any variation in genotype. The followingobservations, measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown inHillscheid, Federal Republic of Germany, under green house conditionswhich approximate those generally used in commercial practice.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The following traits have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be basic characteristics of ‘Fisupnic Pinkeye’, which incombination distinguish this impatiens as a new and distinct cultivar:

[0011] 1. light pink flowers with purple eyes;

[0012] 2. very large, round, mostly flat flowers;

[0013] 3. uniform, medium green foliage;

[0014] 4. vigorous growth, and tall, upright, bushy plant habit; and

[0015] 5. medium flowering response.

[0016] Of the many commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the mostsimilar in comparison to ‘Fisupnic Pinkeye’ is the patented variety‘Fisnics Pink’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,228), and ‘Fisnics Light Pink’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,579).

[0017] In comparison to ‘Fisnics Pink’, ‘Fisupnic Pinkeye’ has a lightermain flower color, larger flowers, and much taller plant habit.

[0018] In comparison to ‘Fisnics Light Pink’ ‘Fisupnic Pinkeye’ haslarger flowers, with a less bluish color, and distinctly taller growthhabit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0019] The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower andfoliage characteristics of ‘Fisupnic Pinkeye’ with colors being as trueas possible with illustrations of this type. The photographic drawingshows a side view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fisupnic Pinkeye’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0020] In the following description color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (RHS). The color values weredetermined indoors from plants growing in a greenhouse in May 2003, inHillscheid, Germany.

[0021] The description is based on plants which were planted as rootedcuttings in 12 cm pots in late February and then grown in the greenhouseat a minimum temperature of 16° C. Most observations and measurementswere made after the beginning of flowering in mid May, when the plantswere about 12 weeks old.

PLANT

[0022] General appearance and form:

[0023]Plant habit.—Tall, round, and well-branched; growth isindeterminate, though weak after flowering begins.

[0024]Height.—23.5 cm.

[0025]Width.—34.5 cm.

[0026]Number of branches.—12.

[0027]Length of branches.—20-22 cm.

[0028]Internode length.—5.5-6.5 cm.

[0029]Diameter of branches.—6-7 mm.

[0030]Stem color.—Reddish-brown, RHS 181 C.

[0031]Propagation.—Terminal tips for cuttings.

[0032]Rooting.—Roots initiate in about 18 days at 22° C., from stickingto transplanting.

[0033]Cultivation time.—It takes about 10 weeks to grow a marketableflowering plant in a 12 cm pot.

[0034] Foliage:

[0035]Leaf arrangement.—Primarily in whorls.

[0036]Shape of leaf.—Elliptic, with acute base and acute to acuminatetip, surface glossy and somewhat rugose.

[0037]Margin.—Slightly serrated, ciliated.

[0038]Leaf length.—12.3 cm.

[0039]Leaf width.—3.9 cm.

[0040]Upper surface, main color.—Medium green, uniform, no variegationmature leaves about RHS 137 A young leaves RHS 137 B.

[0041]Veins on upper surface color.—Pale green, RHS 145 B.

[0042]Lower surface color.—Light green, about RHS 138 B (both young andmature leaves).

[0043]Veins on lower surface color.—RHS 51 B.

[0044]Petiole color.—Upper side dark-red, RHS 51 B; lower side RHS 51 C.

[0045]Petiole size.—1.5-3.0 cm in length; 3 mm in diameter.

INFLORESCENCE

[0046]Flowering response.—9-10 weeks after planting of rooted cuttings.

[0047]Flowering season.—Generally indeterminate, mainly from March toOctober, depending on light intensity.

[0048] Flower:

[0049]Number of flowers per node.—5-7, in various stages of development.

[0050]Form of corolla.—Single-type, 5 petals.

[0051]Shape of corolla.—Very large, nearly round, with the petalsoverlapping, almost flat, though often somewhat wavy margins.

[0052]Size of corolla.—Average length: 82 mm Average width: 80 mm.

[0053] Shape of petals: Cordate, slightly lobed at the top end, may beslightly folded.

[0054]Top petal.—36 mm long, 60 mm wide.

[0055]Lateral petals.—38 mm long, 40 mm wide.

[0056]Lower petals.—38 mm long, 44 mm wide.

[0057]Texture.—Smooth, velvety.

[0058]Aspect.—Flat or somewhat wavy.

[0059]Color (general tonality from a distance of threemeters).—Bluish-pink, of somewhat variable intensity, with purplecenter.

[0060]Color of upper surface.—Light pink RHS 52 C to 52 D, intensitysomewhat variable; at the base of the upper petal lavender infused, RHS72 C.

[0061]Color of eye zone.—Red-purple, RHS N 57 B.

[0062]Color of lower surface.—RHS 52 D.

[0063]Spur.—Downwardly curved, 55 mm long; 3 mm in diameter at theflower end, dark red in color, RHS 53 A.

[0064]Pedicel color.—Brown, RHS 184 B to 184 C.

[0065]Pedicel length.—63 mm.

[0066]Flower bud.—Ovoid in shape; 22 mm in length; 16 mm in width; colorapproximately RHS 52 C.

[0067] Reproductive organs:

[0068]Stamens.—5 in number, fused, upper surface color is RHS N57 C.

[0069]Anthers.—Fused, hooded.

[0070]Pollen.—Whitish-yellow, about RHS 8 D.

[0071]Style and stigma.—Five in number, very short, color about RHS 150D.

[0072]Ovary.—5-celled, 5 mm long, surface color green, RHS 141 B.

[0073] Disease/pest resistance/susceptibility: No observation made todate.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plantnamed ‘Fisupnic Pinkeye’, as described and illustrated herein.